1: Chapter 1 Tenfold Increase

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Ear-piercing gunshots erupted from the crowd, repeatedly hitting the man standing in the center of the square.

The shooter was a well-dressed middle-aged man with numb eyes. The QSG92 Pistol in his hand slowly slipped down, followed by an angry mob...

The man who was shot clutched his chest, his face full of disbelief. He looked at the figure who had fired at him, but before he could think about the reason, his vision went black and he collapsed before everyone—on the high platform the man who shot him had personally built for him.

...

"Ding!"

A pleasant sound rang out amidst his grogginess.

"What was that sound? Am I not dead yet?"

He subconsciously wanted to touch his chest, but a wave of weakness hit him. He could perceive nothing but the sound...

In his blurred consciousness, he heard a conversation between two people, one old and one young.

"Little fellow, do you want to become strong? Do you want to be respected by others?"

"Now that I know the reason why my Dou Zhi Qi disappeared, with my talent, do I still need you to become strong?"

A sense of absurdity welled up in his heart, but the conversation continued. He was somewhat dazed, hearing clearly at times and unclearly at others.

"I wonder how Teacher plans to let me reach the Seventh Stage of Dou Zhi Qi within a year?"

...

Sensing a light source in front of him, he tried to open his eyes.

"It can evolve!"

"Impossible!"

...

Dou Qi? Who's watching an anime next to me? I just finished reading this novel a few days ago. His efforts seemed to have some effect, so he exerted all his strength to try and open his eyes.

"Tomorrow, prepare three intact Purple Leaf Blue Grasses, the older the better. Also, two Bone-Washing Flowers—the age of these doesn't matter. Oh, right, and a Wood-attribute Tier 1 Magic Core. These are all low-level Materials; I assume you can get them... Someone is coming up, I'm going back into the Ring! Also, don't let anyone know of my existence, including those closest to you."

Opening his eyes abruptly, what met his gaze were steep mountains shrouded in thick mist, and the place where he was located was a mountain cliff.

He widened his eyes and looked at his clothes and arms. The shock in his eyes seemed to be inherited from the moment before his death in his previous life.

The shock in his eyes slowly faded as if it were something he had long known. He understood that the steep mountains opposite him were called the Magical Beast Mountain Range, and his current location was the Xiao Family's back mountain in Wutan City!

And he himself was a youth called a waste, Xiao Yan.

But a sense of absurdity still filled his heart. The memories appearing in his mind made it feel as if he were getting to know himself for the first time, yet upon coming to his senses, it felt as if he had never known himself at all.

Before he could fully recover, a youthful yet gentle girl's voice came from behind him.

"Brother Xiao Yan!"

Turning around, he saw a beautiful young girl in a purple dress, exuding a vibrant youthful aura.

The girl's eyes reflected the youth's figure, carrying a trace of worry. Recalling slightly, the youth understood that she was worried he hadn't moved past the humiliation of the recent broken engagement.

Though still somewhat dazed and lost, his excellent psychological fortitude allowed him to respond in time.

"Xun'er," the youth said with a smile.

Looking at the youth who suddenly smiled, Xun'er was slightly stunned, and a pang of heartache rose in her heart.

The current Xiao Yan seemed to have something more than before...

When their eyes met amidst the swaying mountain wind, Xiao Xun Er noticed what Xiao Yan had gained; the current Xiao Yan seemed more mature than before.

But Xiao Xun Er still smiled faintly and said, "Someone seems to need comforting?"

Xun'er's concern was naturally unnecessary. She had no way of knowing that the youth before her had suddenly gained a different consciousness—one far more mature than before.

This person wore a youth's skin while thinking about why his followers in his previous life had shot him. The aura he exuded was worlds apart from before.

The person before the girl remained silent for a moment before saying firmly, "No, only by experiencing setbacks can one grow, right?"

"She will definitely regret it."

Xun'er pursed her lips and said with conviction.

Looking at the somewhat stubborn girl, the youth smiled slightly and carefully tidied his robes.

Walking up to Xiao Xun Er, he said, "Before making any choice, one must be prepared for regret. That way, it won't be too embarrassing. I suppose Nalan Yanran is also prepared for regret!"

At this moment, he let go of that unbelievable betrayal. That betrayer had followed him for over a decade; no one understood his character better than he did.

Thinking of that figure who was always strict with himself, he sighed inwardly. The hidden difficulties involved were likely not small...

'I have already died in that world, what use is there in thinking more? That world no longer has anything to do with me. I shall live anew in this world!'

The youth shook his head gently, as if trying to cast off his previous identity to adapt to his current one.

So Xiao Yan smiled softly, his gaze gentle. He reached out to tidy Xun'er's slightly messy long skirt and said, "Xun'er has grown up too. You're no longer that little kid who followed behind me every day."

Startled by Xiao Yan's action, her bright eyes stared into those clear, impurity-free pupils, and Xun'er felt happy in her heart as well.

'He's changed, but...' A sweet smile gradually curved on Xiao Xun Er's lips.

"Xun'er, don't blame Brother Xiao Yan for these past few years. During this time, I felt like I was in a daze myself. Fortunately, you were by my side, otherwise I would have given up on myself long ago."

The grievances Xun'er had suffered over the three years vanished into thin air with Xiao Yan's apology.

Xiao Yan began to recall the contents of the novel. He had a very good memory and almost never forgot anything he had read recently; he was quite familiar with these plot points.

Thus, Xiao Yan spoke up, "Lend me some money."

Xiao Yan didn't have much money on him now. Buying the Materials Yao Chen needed would likely be difficult.

"Money?" Xun'er blinked her large eyes and said in surprise, "Does Brother Xiao Yan need money?"

"Yeah, I've learned a few skills recently. I'll show you when the time comes."

'This is the first time Brother Xiao Yan has asked to borrow money from me,' Xun'er thought as she covered her mouth and giggled. "I still have over a thousand gold coins, is that enough? If not..."

"Not enough, give me another fifty thousand," Xiao Yan said calmly.

...

In the early morning, the sunlight was warm, passing through the window and shining on the youth who was cultivating on the bed.

"Hu!"

As Xiao Yan breathed in Dou Qi, several visible white air currents entered his body through his nose and mouth, nourishing his bones.

His eyes slowly opened, and the white light in his pupils was very prominent, lasting for a breath before dissipating.

Just last night, Xiao Yan had carefully recalled that "Ding" sound from when his consciousness was dazed, and a surge of information had subsequently imprinted itself into his mind.

"Tenfold Amplification has been activated!"

Just like that.

Xiao Yan's heart was filled with complex emotions. Transmigration was already a blessing, yet he was also given a Golden Finger.

'Is the Heavens seeing that my previous life was too hard and purposely letting me enjoy myself in this world?'

This Golden Finger was so perverse that when he tested it last night, even Yao Chen couldn't help but come out to watch, pinching and prodding him everywhere as if he had seen something unbelievable.

It wasn't until Xiao Yan said it seemed to be a power obtained from his Bloodline that Yao Chen returned to the Ring with a look of suspicion and surprise.

Tenfold Amplification: Exhibits ten times the effect based on your original talent.

This simple sentence contained an immense amount of information. It didn't just mean talent in the usual sense. During last night's testing, Xiao Yan discovered it included his physical body and Soul itself, though it did not include Dou Qi.

In other words, his physical body and Soul were amplified tenfold all at once last night. And in the test, although his Dou Qi was not amplified tenfold, his cultivation speed had increased tenfold!

Dou Qi cultivation talent also fell under the category of amplified talents. As his physical body and Soul were amplified tenfold, the capacity and quality of his Dou Qi also increased several-fold to varying degrees.

"Truly exaggerated!"

With a bit of comparison in his mind, Xiao Yan understood that even a Dou Master could absolutely not compare to him in terms of physique!

A physique enhanced tenfold! In his previous life, he would have been a veritable superhuman, and this was only the beginning!

Even with his Heart-Nature, the corners of Xiao Yan's mouth couldn't help but curl up wantonly. After all, a path to invincibility was laid out right before him!

At this moment, Xun'er's pleasant voice came from outside the door: "Brother Xiao Yan, aren't you up yet?"